Jeong Cheongrae Issues Stern Warning Over Judicial Reform Leak
"Thorough Investigation... Strict Punishment for Document Leak"
Plan Includes Increasing Supreme Court Justices to 26
Jeong Chungrae, Leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, has announced his intention to restore discipline within the party after a document related to the party's ongoing judicial reform initiative was leaked. On September 7, Jeong referenced a media report on his social media, stating, "It appears that a document, which was not even formally reported to the party leadership, has been leaked by someone." He added, "This is clearly an act of misconduct. We will conduct a thorough investigation, and if the leaker is identified, we will hold them strictly accountable." However, Jeong did not comment on the authenticity of the reform proposal itself.
Jeong further stated, "Before the party and government have coordinated the details, we will identify and strictly punish those whose actions disrupt our one-team, one-voice approach and cause harm." He also noted, "This is not the first time; similar incidents have occurred several times before." He continued, "Previously, we issued warnings and moved on, but this can no longer continue. I will ensure the party's discipline is firmly restored."
Previously, on September 5, JTBC reported, "The Democratic Party is accelerating efforts to increase the number of Supreme Court justices," adding, "The party is adjusting the plan to expand the number of justices from the current 14 to 26, rather than the previously proposed 30. Additionally, the Chief Secretary of the Constitutional Court will replace the Chief Justice of the National Court Administration as a member of the Supreme Court Justice Recommendation Committee." According to the report, following the passage of the law this year, there will be a one-year grace period, after which four new justices will be appointed annually, resulting in a 26-member Supreme Court by 2029. With this change, President Lee Jaemyung would appoint a total of 22 justices, including 12 new justices, the successor to Chief Justice Cho Heedae, who will retire in 2027, and nine justices whose six-year terms will end.
The Supreme Court Justice Recommendation Committee will be expanded to 12 members, with one additional member each recommended by the Council of Judges' Representatives and the local bar associations. The reform plan reportedly includes changing the qualification for "persons of knowledge and virtue" among the committee members to "those who have contributed to the socially disadvantaged and human rights," and replacing the Chief Justice of the National Court Administration with the Chief Secretary of the Constitutional Court.
As the Democratic Party accelerates its efforts to pass the judicial reform bill, the Supreme Court will hold an extraordinary meeting of court presidents nationwide at its Seocho-dong headquarters at 2 p.m. on September 12. Previously, on September 1, Cheon Daeyeob, Chief Justice of the National Court Administration, posted a message on the court's internal network (Courtnet) expressing his position on the "five key judicial reform agendas" being pursued by the Democratic Party and revealed that he was considering convening a nationwide meeting of court presidents. It appears that the Supreme Court will consolidate the opinions of all its members and present the judiciary's official stance.
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